Inspiring World, Inspiring Design
As a child, I remember walking the streets of Venezuela with my grandfather, a builder, feeling wonderstruck at all the structures that he built in our small town. Watching something magnificent get built from scratch has always got my juices flowing. It inspires me and makes me feel like I am living a life well-lived.
My culture encouraged me to pursue a “lucrative” profession – in my case engineering. But my passion for design was always simmering inside and no amount of technical drawing could extinguish it.
When I moved to Denver as an adult, I instinctively knew that this city was always meant to be my home. And when the idea of building a home for my family came about, I knew exactly how I wanted it.
In the process, I felt the same thrill, that same excitement that I felt as a child walking through the streets of Venezuela, clutching my grandfather’s hand. This experience was a reacquaintance with my original passion, and I realized that all my life, all I ever wanted to do was design.
CITIES THAT INSPIRE
My academic time in New York and Barcelona has proven to be some of the biggest inspirations in my career. One of my favorite things to do is to take long walks around the High Line in NYC, just allowing myself to get inspired by the wonders and contrasts that the city offers. It’s an exhilarating experience to just stand for hours watching the beautiful buildings that dot the New York cityscape! This raised walkway offers perspectives that are so different, yet so uniquely awe-inspiring.
If you observe, every city you go to has something unique to offer, and you would be amazed at where your next inspiration comes from. For example, the city of Gaudi, Barcelona, is always a major source of inspiration for me. My friend in Barcelona who works on renovating old residential buildings from the 1800s once asked me to help her with some designs. I was astonished at the motifs and designs in these heritage buildings.
When I roam the streets, La Pedrera and Casa Mila, just to name a few, are places where I find a deep connection with my style, with my creativity. El Nacional, a restaurant in Barcelona, is also a fantastic work of art and design – a masterclass on how an 1889 heritage building that bore witness to the industrial revolution was renovated into a restaurant with huge windows, metal pillars, and a seating capacity of more than 700 diners! I love to soak up all these capsules of inspiration and allow them to reflect my designs.
INSPIRATION THROUGH TRAVEL
I have always believed that my passion for travel has allowed me to find inspiration in incredible ways! For example, the Tiergarten Schonbrunn in Vienna impresses me because of its magnificent architectural finishes and the fact that it is an excellent way to bring my kids into a Zoo and a Museum at the same time. The Nantucket-style houses with shingle roofs and the weathered grey exteriors with beautiful white trims always inspire me, and I often lean on these styles as I approach my client’s home projects.
Another source of inspiration is the Neuschwanstein Castle just outside of Munich, which is always on my mind for its fairytale-like appeal! These are just a few reasons I love traveling – it’s almost like a pilgrimage for inspiration!
My travel through Europe plays an integral role in how I went about producing my custom furniture collection, SORELLA. Handcrafted in Porto, Portugal, Sorella was born out of a love of design and the excellent craftsmanship I discovered during my travels in the Mediterranean region. I have always been interested in sketching from my early days, and I knew that with the expertise of the artisans from Portugal, I could bring my designs to reality through SORELLA.
TRANSLATING INSPIRATION INTO DESIGN
Travel has helped me to hone in on what inspires me, and I’ve learned to reveal the same longing for beauty and delight in my clients. I love it when I can jolt a client’s memory, get them reflecting on what moves them, thrills them, and inspires them!
Each of these conversations is highly exciting because it puts the homeowners in the most pleasant of moods and makes me embark on a challenging new design adventure as I translate their inspiration into the interior design vision!
I am grateful for all the beautiful experiences that life has offered me – for all of the centuries of beauty-making that I’ve had the honor to witness, to explore, and to feel.
If inspired living equally speaks to you, reach out to me at 720-735-7533, and let’s discuss how we can bring together that which touches you the most deeply into your home’s interior. It is a process that I’d be honored to embark on by your side.
Margarita Bravo
Denver’s Best Interior Designer
Margarita is a luxury interior designer and decorator, remodeler, furniture curator, and creator of experiences. Margarita’s unique skill set has evolved from her strong educational background and European and Latin American sources of inspiration. Now with design studios in Denver, Miami, and Montecito.
Margarita
